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Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM, Katherine O'Brien Editorial Director, PRINT & MEDIA BUYER

A letter from editorial director Katherine O’Brien.

Knowledge is power

A few years ago, I heard Daniel Dejan speak to the Chicago Print Production Club (www.chicagoprintclub.org). His topic was “In Pursuit of High-Quality Printing: Knowledge is Power.”

Dejan is the national creative sales manager for Sappi, one of the largest manufacturers of coated printing papers in the U.S. “I started working with my dad, who owned an ad agency,” recalls Dejan. “At 13, I was doing keyline and paste-up. At 16, I was working at Reliance Typesetting.” The Chicago typeshop boasted 10,000 sq. ft. of hot type and one of the first VIP cold/electronic typesetting machines. Working there set the stage for Dejan's 30-year career as a designer and print production manager.

If you are a regular press check participant, Dejan suggests you arm yourself with the proper equipment: a quality loupe and a densitometer (“And know how to use them!”), as well as 5000K lighting in the office or studio.

He further notes that a loupe is used to check register and fit — areas some buyers are prepared to judge. Beyond these evaluations, says Dejan, many designers and print buyers are better off simply looking at a press sheet and asking: “Do I like it or not?”

Dejan tells designers to state any concerns in simple terms, such as, “The sky isn't blue enough,” and let the press operator determine the proper adjustment. He compares this exchange of information to the way most of us deal with car trouble. You might start out by telling your mechanic: “My car isn't running right.” But sooner or later, says Dejan, we all find ourselves sheepishly imitating the noise the car is making. As soon as you say, “My car is going ‘thunkeeta-pop-thunka-thunk,’” your mechanic has a pretty good idea of the problem.

If you never have done a press check, ask your printer to talk you through the process. Your printer also will gladly demonstrate new inkjet and monitor-based proofing options, both of which can save time and money.

During his presentation to the Chicago audience, Dejan invariably referred to press operators as craftspeople. “You have to respect the craftsmanship,” he said when asked why he favors the term. “Art is art. Manufacturing is manufacturing. Craftsmanship is what unites the two.”